Should the city of Chicago be in the business of protecting restaurants from food trucks? That is the question to be answered by the Illinois Supreme Court in early 2019. Cities nationwide are experiencing the benefits of food trucks. Nationally, the food truck industry is growing at an annualized rate of 8%. However, the number of food trucks in Chicago has fallen by over 40% since trucks were legalized in 2012. Chicago bans food trucks within 200 feet from brick-and-mortar restaurants. In June 2012, when the city revised its vending laws, they quadrupled the fines for parking too close to a restaurant instead of giving food trucks the freedom to park where their customers (and the parking spots) were.

Rob Frommer, Institute for Justice Senior Attorney, filed the lawsuit against Chicago on the food trucks' behalf back in 2012. He has shepherded the case through the Illinois courts and is preparing to argue before the state Supreme Court. Alongside a few Chicago Food Truck owners, Rob Frommer will talk about the upcoming oral argument and its impact on entrepreneurship and economic liberty.